NEW DELHI: In a groundbreaking discovery, a team of Indian astronomers has identified a unique triple-star system, GG Tau A, located 489 light-years away from Earth. This remarkable finding, led by Liton Majumdar from the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) in Odisha, could significantly alter our understanding of planetary formation.
GG Tau A is not an average star system. Unlike our Sun, which is a single star, GG Tau A consists of three stars orbiting each other. This rare configuration provides a unique opportunity to study how planets form in complex multi-star environments. The system, estimated to be between 1 to 5 million years old, features a protoplanetary disk—a swirling ring of gas and dust—where planets begin to form.
Using powerful radio telescopes in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the team focused on the coldest parts of the disk, where temperatures drop to around 12 to 16 degrees Kelvin. In these icy regions, molecules freeze into tiny dust particles, which are crucial for the formation of planets. These frozen molecules help create the building blocks for planets by sticking together and forming bigger clumps of material over time.
This discovery sheds light on how planets could form in more complicated star systems. The forces between the stars in GG Tau A affect how the gas and dust in the disk behave, making it a perfect system to study the early stages of planet formation. Understanding the chemical makeup and physical conditions in such systems not only deepens our knowledge of planetary origins but also offers insight into the diversity of exoplanets that may exist in the universe.
The findings from GG Tau A highlight the importance of studying multi-star systems to unravel the mysteries of planetary formation. As research continues, astronomers hope to decode how celestial bodies mature and evolve in these extraordinary settings, potentially leading to more groundbreaking discoveries in the field of astronomy.